Sheriff claims deputies didn’t search lacrosse team’s personal objects, body camera shows otherwise

LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC/Gray Information) - An incident that involved players from a university’s lacrosse crew and deputies in Georgia remains below investigation.

WTOC reviews Delaware State University President Tony Allen launched a statement on Monday responding to the incident that reportedly occurred on April 20 in Liberty County.

Allen wrote Georgia law enforcement stopped a bus for a minor site visitors violation with the Delaware State Lacrosse staff on board. Deputies searched the belongings of the student-athletes, including suitcases with drug-sniffing canine.

“100% you'll be able to’t be in that left lane in any respect,” said a Liberty County Sheriff’s Deputy.

The group was returning residence from a game in Florida and touring by a contracted bus, in response to Allen.

Liberty County Sheriff William Bowman held a news convention in regards to the incident however took no questions. He claimed that no personal gadgets on the bus had been searched.

Body digital camera video obtained by WTOC, nevertheless, clearly confirmed the deputies going by way of the scholars’ luggage and even medicine.

The university president wrote in his assertion that movies taken by gamers confirmed law enforcement making an attempt to intimidate them into confessing to possession of medication and/or drug paraphernalia.

“They didn’t really ask us,” said Sydney Anderson, a Delaware State Lacrosse Player. “They informed us of what they’re gonna do and nobody questioned them...we simply let them rattle via our stuff.”

A participant on the bus asked: “How did we go from being in the improper lane to going through our luggage?”

A deputy responded: “Effectively, he stopped y’all, he didn’t cease y’all for a visitors violation...he stopped the driving force for a site visitors violation.”

Nothing unlawful was discovered within the search, and Allen informed the public that he has contacted Delaware’s governor, the Black Caucus and different state officials.

Allen wrote that everybody was incensed over the incident.

Allen also added the next:

“We don't intend to let this or any other incident prefer it move idly by. We are ready to go wherever the evidence leads us. We have video. We have now allies. Perhaps more considerably, now we have the courage of our convictions.”

Allen concluded his assertion by writing, “We will never be bullied into believing anything aside from what we are: People, learners, teachers, builders—useful and honorable people ready to soar.”

Copyright 2022 WTOC by way of Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.